CLEOPATRA   And may through all the world! ’Tis yours, and we,

Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

[She gives him a document]

CAESAR          You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

CLEOPATRA This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels

I am possessed of. ’Tis exactly valued,

Not petty things admitted. Where’s Seleucus?

[Enter Seleucus]

SELEUCUS                  Here, madam.

CLEOPATRA [to Caesar] This is my treasurer. Let him speak, my lord,

Upon his peril, that I have reserved

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.       (5.2.130-140)

 

Cleopatra’s sarcastic, surely: yes, you may take your leave through all the world! Do what you want, go anywhere do anything. After all, ’tis yours, and we, your scutcheons and you signs of conquest, shall hang in what place you please. You’ve won! You can do what you like, for yourself and with me and mine: we’re just trophies now, possessions that you can treat like the spoils of war, arms and armour. You can hang us, in fact. The sarcasm—which also speaks true, in most ways she is not utterly powerless—is also a kind of deflection, though, as she’s got something else prepared. Here, my good lord. A paper.

 

You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra: go on, tell me in your own words, tell me directly what this is about. This—document—is the brief of money, plate, and jewels I am possessed of. All of my wealth, money, plate—silver and gold objects, such as drinking vessels—and jewels, all readily convertible into cash or security. ’Tis exactly valued, not petty things admitted. This is what I’m worth; this is what I can hand over to you—of course I’m not counting the trivial things, of little or no value. Disarmingly honest, apparently.

 

More signs of preparation for this encounter: where’s Seleucus? He’s there, ready and waiting, and briefed, presumably. Here, madam—formal, obliging. This is my treasurer—ah, that makes sense. Clever Cleopatra. Let him speak, my lord; listen to him (and she might encourage, with a gesture, this secretary, this hitherto unknown and anonymous civil servant, emerged from the back office and now there in the hot seat, on the front line with Caesar the conqueror). And he’ll tell you, upon his peril—he’ll tell the truth, or else—that I have reserved to myself nothing. I’ve kept nothing back—it’s all here, in this document. I haven’t concealed any of my wealth, honest. He’ll tell you, yes! Speak the truth, Seleucus!